Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, was buried Friday in the St. Peter’s Cathedral Church, Aremo, in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, amidst a funfair. The 43rd Olubadan joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, and his remains was warmly greeted by Governor Seyi Makinde, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede (represented by the General Officer Commanding 2 Mechanized Division, Maj Gen Obina Onubogwu), and other prominent Nigerians.
To mark his final departure, the late monarch, who retired as a Major in the Nigerian Army, received full military honors, including ceremonial gun salutes and the presentation of the Nigerian flag.
The Most Rev. Williams Aladekugbe, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province and the Bishop of Ibadan North Diocese, urged everyone to be conscious of their lives in his sermon.
“Let us be careful about the lives we live, and be wary of judging others, especially when you don’t have all the facts. Take heed that you don’t spend your today in a way that may ruin your tomorrow. Remember that all of us will give account to our Creator,” the cleric said, heavily quoting 2 Corinthians 5:10.
However, he denounced as a scam politicians who are running for a single term in the 2027 elections.
He said, “Any politician bargaining for only one single term is showing desperation; and it will not work in Nigeria. “It is also desperation when leaders are seen carrying plates and serving food at parties. All of these will never work”
Although the government claimed to have stabilized the economy, he expressed concern that raising telecommunications tariffs during a period of soaring prices and growing poverty demonstrated insensitivity and a lack of connection to the general public.
Instead of concentrating on political intrigues, Aladekugbe urged elected officials to prioritize security, governance, and the welfare of citizens.
According to the cleric, the late Olubadan was “a leader of grace with a heart full of compassion.” Ibadanland experienced peaceful coexistence, unheard-of development, and a transformation of its traditional institutions during his rule.
The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, led by President-General Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole; Mogajis (family heads); Baales; members of the Olubadan-in-Council, led by the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; former Deputy Governor Ahmed Gbadamosi; former Minister of Steel and Power Wole Oyelese; Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (South), Taofeek Arapaja; and members of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), among others, were also present.
